The Adventures of Kathlyn eBook

Upon a knoll outside the city—­a hillock
of sand three or four hundred feet in height—­Kathlyn
tried the glasses. From this promontory she
had a range of something like fifteen to twenty miles.
Back and forth her gaze roved and suddenly paused.

CHAPTER XII

THE PLAN OF RAMABAI

When Kathlyn returned to the compound it was with
the news that she had discovered a group of men, some
twelve or fifteen miles to the west. They had
paused at what appeared to be a well, and with them
was the sacred white elephant. Bala Khan was
for giving orders at once to set out with his racing
camels to catch and crucify every mother’s son
of them on the city walls. But Ramabai interposed.

“As I came toward the compound I was given a
message. The man who gave it to me was gone
before I could get a good look at his face. These
men who stole the sacred white elephant are brave and
desperate. At the first sign of pursuit they
promise to kill the elephant.”

“And by the beard of the prophet,” cried
Bala Khan, his face purpling with passion, “these
men of the desert keep their promises. And so
do I. I promise later to nail each one of them to
the walls to die hanging to nails!”

“But just now,” said Ramabai quietly,
“the main thing is to rescue the elephant, and
I have a plan.”

“Let me hear it.”

“From what you told me last night,” went
on Ramabai, “those nomads or brigands are opium
fiends.”

Bala Khan nodded.

“Bruce Sahib, here, and I will undertake to
carry them doctored opium. I know something about
the drug. I believe that we saw the thieves
last evening as we came through the streets.
My plan is this: we will take five racing camels,
go north and turn, making the well from the west.
That will not look like pursuit.”

“But five camels?” Bala Khan was curious.

“Yes. In order to allay the suspicions
of the brigands, Kathlyn Mem-sahib and my wife must
accompany us.”

The colonel objected, but Kathlyn overruled his objections.

“But, Kit, they will recognize us. They
will not have forgot me. They will know that
we have come from the town, despite the fact that to
all appearances we come from the West.”

Bruce also shook his head. “It doesn’t
look good, Ramabai. Why not we three men?”

“They would be suspicious at once. They
would reason, if they saw Kathlyn Mem-sahib and my
wife with us that we were harmless. Will you
trust me?”

“Anywhere,” said the colonel. “But
they will simply make us prisoners along with the
elephant.”

“Ah, but the Colonel Sahib forgets the opium.”
Ramabai laid his hand upon the colonel’s arm.
“Let them make prisoners of us. The very
first thing they will do will be to search the saddle-bags.
They will find the opium. In a quarter of an
hour they will be as dead and we can return.”